lakhs of pilgrims from all over the country are swarming Haridwar since Wednesday evening to take a holy dip in the Ganga river on the auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti which will be observed on Thursday and Friday.
The snan would begin from around 2 am on Thursday. Makar Sankranti snan, the first of the key snans of Ardh Kumba Mela, will be held on both Thursday and Friday this time.
As lakhs of pilgrims, including sadhus, are expected to take the dip on the auspicious occasion, the police said they are on their toes to ensure that the event goes off glitch-free.
The Mela administration has made elaborate arrangements for about 10 lakh pilgrims expected to take the holy bath in Ganga, revered as the river that cleanses the human sins and helps the devotees attain moksha, the final salvation of life.
Buses of pilgrims from the neighbouring States of Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, aside from other districts of Uttarakhand, began rolling in to Haridwar in their thousands for the eagerly awaited Makar Sankranti snan. Hotels, railway stations and bus stations are chock-a-block with the devotees. Some are staying in Haridwar while others are spreading to other areas like Rishikesh which are demarcated parts of the extended Mela territory.
However, the residents of Haridwar said that the pilgrims' turnout was not as massive as was expected till Wednesday evening. "We think the turnout would gain momentum by late Wednesday night. Many thousands are expected to arrive on early Thursday morning too," said one of the residents of Haridwar.
IG (Ardh Kumbh) GS Martolia said that a total of 32 special police stations, 27 fire stations and five police lines have been erected to ensure fool-proof security.
Elaborate traffic plan has also been drafted to facilitate the pilgrims' movement for the Makar Sankranti snan. The Ardh Kumbh Mela area covers four police stations - Kankhal, Bahadrabad, Shyampur and Kotwali - in Haridwar district, Raiwala police station in Dehradun, Muni-ki-Rati police station in Tehri district and lakshman Jhula police station in Pauri, he added.
There will be 10 key snans staggered over the Mela period ending on April 22. The key snan dates are January 14, February 8, February 12, February 22, March 7, April 7, April 8, April 14, April 15 and April 22. The maximum footfalls are expected on the Baisakhi snan slated for April 14 and 15, said police and locals alike.